The 11 Best Free Museums in London
As one of the top tourist destinations in the world, London is just brimming with incredible sights and fun activities.
From hopping on a cruise down the river Thames to enjoying a real afternoon tea, there is enough to do and see to fill up your itinerary for days!
However, there is no denying that London is an en expensive city, and all the entertainment can quickly take a toll on your wallet.
With that in mind, here is our list of 11 amazing museums you can visit in London, all completely free to enter and explore!
We haven’t listed these places in any particular order and, while we have our personal favourites, they are all equally worthy of a visit. With that in mind, let’s get started.
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The Sir John Soane Museum
Address: 113 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London WC2A 3BP
The former home of famed architect Sir John Soane, this small museum is a must-visit for both architecture and art enthusiasts.
The house is filled with a large collection of antiquities, paintings and sculptures acquired by Soane during his life, along with a number of the architect’s personal drawings and models.
Considering that a full visit should take you around 30 minutes, there is really no reason to skip the Sir John Soane Museum. It’s the perfect place to fit in between other sights, or to wait out the rain while admiring the architect’s unique collection!
The Natural History Museum
Address: Cromwell Rd, South Kensington, London SW7 5BD
At one point we mentioned we have our personal favourites; well, this is one of them.
In addition to the spectacular blue whale skeleton that overlooks the entry hall, The Natural History Museum houses one of the largest collections of natural specimens in the world; Over 80 million items that include, among others, animals, plants, dinosaur fossils and minerals, some collected by famous naturalist Charles Darwin himself!
For anyone even remotely interested in science and the natural world, there is no way you can visit London and miss this place. In addition to captivating your inner child, it’s also the perfect place to take your own kids, as they are bound to be absolutely spell-bound by all the amazing critters, animals and (of course) dinosaurs they’ll see.
All in all, he Natural History Museum is one of the city’s top attractions, and it cannot miss from your itinerary. An average visit will take you around 3 to 4 hours but, if you so wished, you could easily spend an entire day wandering through the endless corridors.
Oh, did we mention they have dinosaurs?
The British Museum
Address: Great Russell St, London WC1B 3DG
Famous for both its collection of 8 million historical and artistic artefacts (and the controversial methods through which many were acquired), there is no denying that The British Museum tops many lists as the greatest museum in the world. How a museum with such a collection is even free to visit still blows our minds.
Here you will find an absolutely incredible assortment of items that is truly unique in the world, such the famous Stele of Rosetta, the mummy of the Egyptian Pharaoh Ramesses II, artworks that include Michelangelo, Rembrandt and Rubens and other ancient artefacts such as the Assyrian Lion Hunt Reliefs.
If you want to properly enjoy everything there is to see, you’ll probably have to set aside the better part of a day. If instead you prefer to go for a quick visit, you should expect to dedicate at least 3 hours to exploring the museum.
The National Gallery
Address: Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 5DN
As if Trafalgar Square wasn’t enough of a sight, The National Gallery located right in front provides an other incredible view.
Home to over 2000 paintings dating back to the 13th century, The National Gallery showcases a spectacular collection that features artists such as Da Vinci, Van Gogh and Monet, among many others.
It truly is an unmissable visit for any art enthusiast, and we definitely recommend you put sometime aside for a visit. As with the previous two, 3 to 4 hours should be the minimum to really enjoy the The National Gallery but you can easily spend the entire day observing the spectacular works of art that line the corridors of this amazing museum.
The National Portrait Gallery
Address: St. Martin's Pl, London WC2H 0HE
After visiting The National Gallery, hop to the back of the building and visit the The National Portrait Gallery, so far the only art museums we’ve ever visited that only exhibits portraits.
The artwork depicts famous and historical British figures throughout history, such as the Tudors, William Shakespeare and the Brontë sisters, and is a fun addition to the already impressive National Gallery.
If you’re visiting the former and have some time to spare we would recommend dedicating a couple of hours to checking this one out. It sure makes for an interesting and unique addition to our list!
National Maritime Museum
Address: Romney Rd, London SE10 9NF
As the song goes, “Rule, Britannia! Rule the waves”.
The National Maritime Museum in Greenwich will allow you explore the culture of exploration and seafaring has had such a deep impact on the history of the United Kingdom, from the early days to modern times. In addition, there are also countless paintings and model ships to admire!
Visiting the entire museums should take you a couple of hours at most. You can then spend the rest of the day exploring Greenwich, where you’ll also find the famous Prime Meridian, the line of 0° longitude!
The Royal Air Force Museum
Address: Grahame Park Way, London NW9 5LL
Located in the former Hendon Aerodrome, The Royal Air Force Museum showcases airplanes from the early days of aviation to the glory days of the RAF and beyond to modern times. I
t makes for an incredibly fascinating visit, especially if you have an interest in aviation or general mechanics, and we really recommend checking it out!
The Royal Air Force Museum is also perfect if you’re looking for an entertaining and educational museum to take your children to. It’s a little far from the city centre, towards the north of the city, but kids will definitely get a kick out of seeing the various airplanes housed in the 6 hangars that are part of the site.
Ideally, you should dedicate at least 4 hours to properly visit the museum.
Tate Modern
Address: Bankside, London SE1 9TG
In all honesty, modern art is not really our thing.
Having said that, we’ll make an exception for the the Tate Modern.
This modern art gallery, housed in the decommissioned Bankside Power Station that is right across the famous Millennium Bridge, holds a mind-blowing collection that includes works from Picasso, Andy Warhol and Jackson Pollock, among many, many other incredible artists.
The Tate Modern is an absolute must-visit for anyone even remotely interested in art, and cannot miss from your London checklist. We recommend putting aside an entire morning or most of an afternoon to properly explore this incredible museum, it really is worth it!
Victoria and Albert Museum
Address: Cromwell Rd, London SW7 2RL
Few places in London left us with our mouth literally agape quite like the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Located a stone’s throw from the Natural History Museum, this stunning place holds the world’s largest collection of applied art, decorative and design works in the world, consisting of over 2 million items from all over the globe.
It’s truly one of those places that leaves you gasping every time you turn a corner, and is one of the most incredible museums we have ever visited. We cannot recommend it enough, and you’d really be missing it out if you left it out of your London visit.
On average, you should set aside at least a good 2 hours to fully enjoy your experience, but we recommend taking your time and dedicating a full morning to admiring the incredible art the museum houses!
Imperial War Museum
Address: Lambeth Rd, London SE1 6HZ
While this one might not interest everyone, we found the Imperial War Museum to be an extremely fascinating insight into the evolution of British warfare from the First World War until modern times.
The collection includes archival documents, images and videos, along with a large number of military equipment and vehicles, and is a must-see for anyone interested in learning more about the conflicts that shaped the UK into the country it is today.
To really make the most out your visit, we recommend you take a good 2 to 3 hours.
Science Museum
Address: Exhibition Rd, South Kensington, London SW7 2DD
Located not far from the Natural History Museum and the Victoria and Albert, the Science Museum is the ultimate place to make your inner child come alive.
We guarantee you’ll find yourself gazing around in wonder towards the many incredible exhibits that display the discoveries of humanity, from space exploration to mathematics and medicine.
It’s one of the most popular museums in the city, and if you’re on the lookout for an educational visit it doesn’t get any better than this. It makes for a great visit for the whole family, and we absolutely demand you go and see it for yourself!
Consider taking at least two hours to explore the museum, even though you could easily take a couple more if you wanted to.
And there you have it, 11 incredible free museums to add to your London itinerary.
From the historical to the artistic and educational, these places will fascinate you with their exhibitions, or at the very least will keep your head dry on a typical London rainy day!
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